Typhoon Soudelor, the 13th of the year, strikes as the Ministry of Agriculture urgently deploys defense efforts

According to a forecast from the National Meteorological Center, Typhoon Soudelor, the 13th typhoon of this year, will make landfall or skirt the northeastern coast of Taiwan, China on the night of the 7th, and will make landfall along the Fujian coast at typhoon intensity from the afternoon to the evening of the 8th. Soudelor's landfall will help ease the recent high temperatures in the Jiangnan region, but this is currently a critical period for tillering of late rice in the south, yield formation of middle rice, and livestock and fishery production, and the strong winds, heavy waves and torrential rain it brings may have an adverse impact on agricultural (livestock and fishery) production. On August 6, the Ministry of Agriculture urgently deployed defense efforts against Typhoon Soudelor, requiring agricultural departments in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong and other provinces (municipalities) to earnestly carry out typhoon defense and post-disaster production recovery work to ensure agricultural production and the safety of people's lives and property.

First, ensure that responsibilities are fulfilled in place. Agricultural departments at all levels must remain unwavering in the goal of stabilizing grain production and increasing incomes, base themselves on combating disasters to secure a bumper harvest, and make guarding against Soudelor the top priority of current agricultural work, strengthening leadership, fulfilling responsibilities, intensifying efforts, refining measures, and ensuring that organization, personnel, responsibilities, plans and supplies are in place, so as to ensure the safety of the lives and property of the broad masses of farmers (herders and fishermen) and minimize disaster losses to the greatest extent.

Second, effectively strengthen monitoring and early warning. Emergency duty must be maintained, and contact with relevant departments such as meteorology, oceanography and water resources must be strengthened; close attention must be paid to Soudelor's movement path, intensity and changes in weather and sea waves; the impact of Soudelor on agricultural, livestock and fishery production must be analyzed and assessed; and the disaster situation and the implementation of disaster relief measures must be promptly coordinated to ensure smooth information flow. Full use must be made of radio, television, newspapers, mobile phones, the internet and other media to promptly release early warning information and technical measures for typhoon defense. Fishery departments must notify fishing boats and personnel in relevant sea areas of early warning information such as the typhoon's path, strong winds and heavy waves as soon as possible, and promptly report defense preparations such as fishing boats returning to port, fishermen evacuating ashore and fishery administration vessels standing by.

Third, implement defense measures as early as possible. Immediately mobilize fishing boats operating in relevant sea areas and aquaculture personnel to return to port as soon as possible or take shelter from wind and waves nearby, and reinforce and maintain fishing port facilities and dikes early to ensure the safety of people's lives. Organize farmers to promptly reinforce agricultural production facilities such as fruit trees, greenhouses and livestock and poultry sheds, and harvest ripe crops in time to avoid disaster losses. Promptly clear and dredge field ditches and drainage systems of livestock and poultry farms to prevent large-scale waterlogging. Guide state farms, schools, hospitals and other units to make relevant precautions.

⟦NL> Fourth, do a solid job in production self-rescue. Promptly organize investigation, verification, assessment and reporting of disaster impacts, strengthen guidance and services, organize experts in light of local conditions to formulate disaster relief and production recovery plans, and help and guide farmers (herders and fishermen) in carrying out production self-rescue. Promptly drain waterlogged fields and remove waterlogging, repair damaged ports, dikes, fishing boats, fish ponds and aquaculture facilities, do a good job in replanting and changing crops, replenishing livestock and poultry, and replenishing fish fry washed away, so as to restore production as soon as possible. Strengthen animal disease prevention and control and crop pest and disease monitoring and control in disaster areas, do a good job in post-disaster disinfection and harmless disposal of dead animals, and prevent outbreaks and spread of major animal diseases, zoonotic infectious diseases and crop pests and diseases after the disaster. Urge relevant insurance institutions to promptly assess losses and settle claims for insured fishing boats and other facilities and crops.